Summer Loves

‘It’s hardly the sort of thing I’m used to.’ Whoa! Where had that come from? Was she channelling Scarlett O’Hara now?

‘No, I don’t suppose it is.’ Mike’s voice was dry. ‘I suppose it hasn’t occurred to you that you could use your celebrity status, however limited, to help them fundraise?’

She turned on her heel. ‘Putting aside the fact I already have, I don’t suppose you have either? Or is your celebrity status even more limited?’ She smiled archly and was pleased to see the barb hit home. There was a fascinating pulse beating at the base of his throat. Dora stared at him, a desire to either hit or kiss him warring. Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Oh, she definitely wanted to kiss him. Maybe to find out if it was as good as the memory. Mainly, to kiss him until she left him gasping for mercy. Deliberately and very slowly, she licked her lips and then looked him straight in the eye. He gave a sort of strangled gasp and she knew she’d won this round.

He blew out a breath, looking as if he longed to get away. From nowhere Kirstie appeared and claimed his arm. She gawped up at him, adoringly. ‘Darling, there are literally millions of people you need to meet.’ As if only just realising Dora’s presence, she added, ‘Oh hello again, Theodora.’ She gave a cat’s smile.

‘Kirstie.’ Dora looked from Mike to the girl. So this was how it was? She might have known. The disappointment felled her like a physical blow. How had she been so stupid?

Mike cleared his throat. ‘Dora, I’ll introduce you to Jed, shall I? Only be nice to him, he’s had his heart broken.’

‘Oh Mike, you silly boy. I’m sure Theodora will be lovely to Jed.’ Kirstie batted a hand at Mike’s arm. She turned a baleful gaze upon Dora. ‘Won’t you?’

‘I’ll try my best.’ Dora gave them her best celebrity mile-wide smile and was gratified to see both blink. She drank her wine down in one and gave the empty glass to Kirstie. ‘Put that somewhere, won’t you?’

‘Who is going to be nice to me?’ A deep, cultured voice sounded behind them.

‘Ah, Jed,’ said Mike. ‘Dora here is panting to meet you.’ Mike gave Dora an evil look and allowed himself to be led away by a sullen Kirstie.

In her head Dora stuck out a tongue at them. Then she pulled on a professional veneer and put out her hand. Jed. ‘How nice to meet you.’

‘Jeez, you’re Theodora Bart!’

‘This is very true.’

‘Sorry, did I just go all fan-girly?’

Dora laughed. ‘You did, rather.’

‘It’s just that I love The English Woman. I travel a lot so have to download it. Saved many a lonely night in a hotel room.’

‘I’m very gratified you like it. And it’s plain Dora when I’m here in Berecombe.’

Jed lifted a couple of fresh glasses from a tray being circulated by the Tizzards’ eldest son and passed one to her. ‘Then Dora it is.’ He clinked glasses with her. ‘It’s a complete pleasure to meet you.’

Dora drank the wine and observed him over her glass. A smooth operator, confident and assured; she’d met many like him. Expensive clothes and a permanent suntan, he was good-looking in a glossy blonde way. Not remotely her type, but she could see how he had dazzled poor Millie. For a second she very much hoped his heart had been thoroughly broken. Then remembered her pledge was to get these two together. Well, there was no time like the present.

‘So, I understand you know Millie?’

‘Yes. We went out a while back.’ He wrinkled his high-bridged nose attractively. ‘Well, I suppose we never really went out much. She was always working too hard.’

‘That sounds like my friend Millie.’

‘How do you know her?’ His almost pathetic gratitude at being able to talk about her made Dora warm to him a little.

‘We went to school together. Berecombe Comp.’

‘Along with Mike?’

‘Yes, we were all there together, although Mike was known for his absences rather more than his attendance.’

They looked to the middle of the crowd, where Mike was deep in conversation with the town councillor who had made the feeble joke at the duck race. He must have heard his name being mentioned, or the old sixth sense was working, as he raised his head and looked straight at them.

Dora, to her horror, felt herself blush. She took Jed’s arm and steered him away. ‘You know Millie’s here tonight, don’t you?’

Jed’s face went through a tumult of emotion. Joy, fear, apprehension, need. Dora watched him, fascinated. He’d make a marvellous actor, with such mobile and transparent features. She melted further. If Millie had fallen for him, then he couldn’t be all bad.

‘She’s in charge of the catering for this.’

‘Do you think she’d want to speak to me?’

He seemed to assume Dora knew all about his and Millie’s relationship.

‘I’m not sure.’ At the corner of her eye, Dora caught sight of Millie perfecting the buffet. Watching her friend disappear into the kitchen, she turned her laser gaze on Jed. ‘How did you two leave it?’

Jed looked down, scuffed his expensive-looking brogues and sighed. ‘I was a twat. She told me to disappear out of her life.’ He glanced up. ‘Which was completely justified, I have to say.’

‘So I understand.’ Dora smiled, she was beginning to like Millie’s Jed a great deal. ‘Well, if you know you’re in the wrong and Millie feels she has had the last word, all, in my opinion, is not yet lost.’

Jed looked at Dora, starstruck but also with total and abandoned admiration.

She turned him towards the kitchen door. ‘She’s in there. Whenever in doubt, seek Millie in the kitchen.’

Jed gave her a grateful look and went. Dora returned to the margins of the party, sipped her wine and hoped she’d done the right thing.

Chapter 8 (#ulink_1df1e919-a7c1-5bfd-870b-529de4fe8c65)

‘Hello Millie.’

She started. She’d know that voice anywhere. It was inevitable, she supposed, if he was in town, that they’d bump into one another. ‘Hello Jed.’ Passing the tray of smoked salmon canapés to Clare, who was waitressing for her, she forced herself to meet his eyes. She drank him in. Thinner than she remembered, but browner. The suntan emphasised his fine cheekbones and there were new highlights in his blonde hair. He looked like a well-bred racehorse, nervy and on his toes before an important race. She gulped. He could still make her heart race and her knees buckle. But part of her, the ever-cautious part, remembered her fears over the long-term compatibility of Cinderella and Prince Charming.

‘How have you been?’

She nodded. ‘Okay thanks.’

‘And the café?’

‘Doing quite well.’ She added in a rush, ‘Thank you for helping Arthur out. With Daisy, I mean. He couldn’t afford the operation.’

Jed shrugged. ‘He’s a nice man. Daisy, I’m sure, is a nice dog.’ His brown eyes burned into hers. ‘But I really did it for you, Millie. Arthur is a friend of yours and I could see his being unhappy made you unhappy too.’

‘Oh.’ Millie swallowed. Every fibre of her being yearned to gather Jed in her arms and tell him she loved him, had always loved him, would never stop. ‘I said some things back in February.’

For the first time, Jed smiled. ‘You did and I deserved everything you threw at me.’ He spread his hands. ‘How could you not be angry?’

Clare yelled from the kitchen and Millie gave Jed an apologetic look.

‘I know, work calls.’ As she turned to go, he added, ‘Millie, do you think we could get together sometime? To talk things over? I’d like that.’